This invention relates to animal feeders, and, more particularly, to an improved feeder for dogs for protecting and preserving food or fresh water to be made available upon self-initiated action of a dog.
There are a number of feeders in the prior art involving containers having a lid or closing member which can be lifted or tipped out of the way by the action of an animal. Such arrangements are disclosed, for example, in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. Quigley 2,055,544; Hatcher 2,709,988; Struck 2,972,979; Chilovich 3,077,863; Elkins 3,575,141; and Mann 4,303,040.
Such prior art feeders have certain disadvantages, among which are that they do not adequately protect the contents of the feeder against moisture, against spoilage, such as through heat, and against insects. Further, some of the feeders of the prior art are too expensive in construction to be amenable for mass production and economical sale, particularly for large, low-cost retailers who must provide a full-function feeder which is both attractive to the consumer and can be offered at a very competitive price.
Accordingly, is is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dog feeder for dogs for protecting and preserving food or fresh water to be made available upon self-initiated action of a dog.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a full-function feeder which will provide adequate protection of the contents of the feeder against insects, ensuring that insects will be kept isolated from the feeder so that insects, such as ants, will not be permitted to gain access to the interior of the feeder and contents therein.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a feeder which will protect a relatively large quantity of food and/or water against heat, thereby reducing spoilage and preventing bacteria from growing in the contents, and thereby achieving greater unattended storage of food or water for longer periods of time than heretofore has been possible.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such a feeder which is of reliable, easily opened character, posing no difficulty for a dog to open with its nose, so as to gain access to its contents, while nevertheless continuing to at least partly protect the contents, even while the dog is taking food or water from the feeder, and further providing assured return of a closure to a fully closed position after the dog has ceased to consume the contents.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such a feeder which can be reliably tied down while in use, ensuring against the possibility of the feeder being tipped over or moved even by a relatively large, active, rowdy, clumsy or mischievous dog.
It is further an object of the invention to provide such a feeder which is of very simple, effective and simple construction, being amenable to mass-production, low-cost, wide-scale manufactur.
Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.